Storage rack



United States Patent 11113,545,623

[72] Inventor Donald C. Andreasson [56] R fe Cited sam i Michigan UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 1 ppl. No. 451,599 5/1891 Mei s 312/107 1 Filed 1968 1,148,238 7/1915 Klin e 312/107x 14 1 Patmed Dec-8,1970 2,506,844 5 1950 Smith 312/107 [7 1 Asslgnee Ream" f T 2,620,220 12/1952 Gresham 312/1 1 111x Birmlngham, Mlchlgan a corporation of Michigan Primary Examiner- Ramon S. Britts AttorneyBarnes, Kisselle, Raisch & Choate ABSTRACT: A modular storage rack in which each module is STORAGE RACK formed from a plurality of generally rectangular hollow steel 9 1 Claim 4 Drawing Figs tubes which are abutted in a checkerboard pattern and welded [52] Cl. 211/ together along their longitudinal edges with the resulting 312/108, 312/111, 312/275 structure being circumscribed by four steel plates which are [51] lnt.Cl. A471) welded to the outer tubes and to each other. Generally U- Fl6b 12/36 shaped channels are connected to the top and one side of the [50] Field of Search 211/126, module and steel bars are connected to the bottom and other 220/(lnquired) side of the module so that the modules can be interlocked when they are stacked adjacent to and on top of each other.

PATENTEU nu: alsn 3.545623 4o 28 J0 INVENTOR 34 DONALD c. ANDREASSON ATTORNEYS STORAGE RACK DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to storage racks and more particularly to an improved rack for use in storing relatively heavy elongated objects such as steel bar stock.

An object of this invention is to provide a modular form of storage structure so that the individual modules can be readily and easily stored, shipped and assembled.

Another object of this invention is to provide a storage rack formed primarily from a few standard prefabricated hollow tubes and hence of economic and durable construction.

These and other objects, features and advantages of this invention are described in this specification and illustrated in the drawings in which the manner and process of making and using the invention in the best mode contemplated by the inventor is disclosed by way of example only, for, since the underlying principle may be incorporated in other specific constructions, it is not intended to limited to those shown, except as such limitations are imposed by the appended claims.

Drawings accompany this disclosure and the various views thereof may be described as:

FIG. 1, an end elevational view of a modular storage rack construction of this invention.

FIG. 2, a perspective view of a single module of the storage rack of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3, a sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. 1 illustrating the interlocking structure of two adjacent modules.

FIG. 4, a fragmentary view of the lapping edges of two abutting tubes of the module of FIG. 2.

REFERRING TO THE DRAWINGS As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of modular racks, each designated generally as 20, of uniform width and varying heights are stacked adjacent to and engage with each other to form a storage rack with three different sized compartments designated generally as 22. Since each module is constructed in the same manner, only one of modules will be described in detail.

' In general, each module is formed from a plurality of generally rectangular longitudinally extending hollow steel tubes which are arranged in a checkerboard cross section with lapping edges which are abutted and welded together to form a generally rectangular structure having a plurality of pigeonholes. The assembly is reinforced by U-shaped steel channels and interlocking blocks which are welded transversely of the channels to provide an interlocking structure so that the modules can be stacked adjacent to and on top of each other and locked together. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of hollow steel tubes 24 are arranged in a checkerboard pattern and lapped along their longitudinally extending outer edges and welded as at 26 to form a plurality of pigeonholes 28. Preferably as shown in the exploded view of FIG. 4, adjacent edges of adjacent tubes are lapped a distance equal to the wall thickness of the tubes so that the side walls lie in a single plane to provide improved load carrying characteristics.

Some of the pigeonholes are formed by the interior surfaces of a single tube 24 while other pigeonholes are formed either by the exterior surfaces of four adjacent tubes 24 or by the exterior surfaces of three adjacent tubes and one of the outer skin plates to be described. Two generally U-shaped channels 36 run generally transverse to top tubes 24 and are longitudin-ally spaced on and welded to the tubes and two generally rectangular steel bars 40 are similarly aligned and connected to the bottom tubes. Similarly-two generally U-shaped channels 42 and bars 44 are positioned on and connected to the tubes at the side. As shown in FIG. 3, when two modules 20 are aligned with and set beside each other, the channels 42 and steel bars interengage and lock with each other so that the adjacent modules cannot be shifted longitudinally with respect to each other. In a similar manner, the channels 36 on the top of one module interlock-with the bars 40 on the bottom of a second module stacked on top of the first module.

Cover plates 30 at the sides and 32 at the top are tacked to the tubes between the respective channels 36 and 42 and the bars 40 and 44 and also extend from these channels and bars to the ends of the tubes to close in the assembly to exclude dust and foreign matter.

Modules 20 can be made so that they are all of the same width and yet the pigeonholes are of a different height by fabricating them from hollow tubes of different heights to provide a variety of different sized storage compartments. For example, two modules could be fabricated from 10-foot lengths of tubes which are 6 inches high and 10 inches wide and two modules could be fabricated from 10-foot lengths of tubes which are 4 inches high and ten inches wide so that when the modules are stacked as shown in FIG. 1 the resulting storage rack structure would have pigeonholes of two different sizes. Since each module can be formed by welding together a few standard hollow structural steel tubes, such as ASTM No. A36 tubing, the modules are of economical construction and the resulting honeycomb structure is very durable, rugged, sturdy, and will carry very heavy loads. The interlocking channel and bar structure allows each module to be small enough so that it can be conveniently stored, shipped and handled while still permitting a very large storage rack to be assembled from the modules whenever a large storage facility is desired.

If desired, a rod, pin, or other suitable fastener can be used to transfix the interlocked channels and bars to tie the modules together. It will be appreciated that suitable identification can be secured to the ends of the tubes either as a color to correspond with color coding on the steel which is stored or actual standard marking numbers generally used in the industry.

Iclaim:

l. A storage rack for steel rod, strip stock, and the like which comprises a first group of a plurality of elongate rectangular tubes of equal lateral dimension disposed in spaced parallel relation, vertically and horizontally, the spacing between the tubes being slightly less than the horizontal dimension of the tubes, and a second group of a plurality of elongate rectangular tubes in spaced parallel relation interposed between the tubes of the first group in slight overlapping contact, the tubes of each group being fastened to the other adjacent the corners thereof to form elongate storage spaces within the tubes and outside the tubes by the relative positioning thereof, interlocking bars and channels fastened transversely to the outer walls of the outside tubes to reinforce said tubes and interlock modules of said tubes positioned adjacently, and skin plates fastened to the other sides of outer tubes between said bars and channels and between the ends of said tubes and said bars and channels to close the compartments formed between the tubes at the outsides of the module. 

